DoctorMerlinSherlock
by cautiousAlbatross
Summary: The Doctor goes travelling with Sherlock and Merlin  and John . Stuff happens. You can read about that stuff. Originally posted to Tumblr.
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor flipped a few switches on the TARDIS console, wondering where to go next.

"So, Amy-" he started to say, before remembering he was alone. Alone again. Once more left a solitary wanderer. He sighed, the smile sliding off his face. For a man with so many friends, he was so often so lonely. He began to wonder if there was even any point to picking up yet another new companion. He would just lose them again, and be alone once more.

Suddenly, his internal musings were interrupted by a harsh noise from the TARDIS. Muttering to himself, he twiddled a couple of dials, to absolutely no effect.

"What's wrong, old girl?" he asked, stroking her console, "What's happening?"

Then the distinctive noise of the TARDIS landing echoed throughout the control room.

"What? Why are we landing? And where?"

Sherlock was bored, as ever. John tried to concentrate on writing up their latest misadventure, but was distracted by his loud sighs as he paced the living room. Finally, he gave in.

"What is it, Sherlock?" he asked, sighing himself.

"Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing," replied Sherlock, pulling a face.

"There's obviously something wrong, you've been pacing for-" he checked the time "two and a half hours now."

"Nothing's wrong! That _is_ the problem. There is absolutely nothing wrong."

"Most people would be happy about that, you know, Sherlock."

"I'm not most people," he snapped in reply, "I'm bored."

"Then find something to do."

"I've just told you; there's nothing wrong! Nothing! Are all the criminals taking a break? Have they all gone on holiday?"

"You could do something other than solve crimes. Have you considered that?"

"Fine, then. _What_ else could I do? What are you doing?"

"I'm writing my blog."

"_Boring._ Is there anything interesting I can do?"

"You could get the milk."

"I said interesting, John, not- what was that?"

"What was what?"

"That noise. Listen."

"I don't hear anything."

"You're not listening. There it is again!"

"Oh, yes. You mean that sort of wheezing noise?"

"Exactly. I've never heard anything like it."

"And I suppose you want to investigate?"

Sherlock sighed.

"Oh, all right, if you insist."

"What- but- I-" protested John, before giving in, grabbing his coat, and following Sherlock out of the flat.

The Doctor opened the TARDIS doors apprehensively and peered around. He appeared to have landed in London, England. 21st century. He walked out of the TARDIS, sniffing the air. 2011, perhaps. No, more like 2012. And where exactly in London? Ah, a street sign. Baker Street. Opposite a door labelled 221B, and a small café. _Odd,_ he thought, _Why would she bring me here?_

Just then, a tall, dark-haired man in a billowing coat burst out of the door, followed by a rather shorter and more sedate man a few moments later.

"Where is it?" asked the taller man frantically.

"We don't even know what it is," replied the other man, "How should I know where it is?"

The other man sighed, then walked over to the Doctor.

"Excuse me," he said, "Did you hear a strange noise just now?"

"That depends," replied the Doctor thoughtfully, "What sort of noise?"

"It was a loud wheezing noise."

"Erm, excuse me," said the shorter man, joining them, "But what's that box behind you? And why did you just lock it?"

"Ah, well," replied the Doctor, "_This_ is my TARDIS, and she's what made that noise you were talking about."

"What's a- what did you call it?" asked the short man.

"How did _that_... thing... make the noise?" interrupted the tall man, completely ignoring his companion.

"It's her engines. Well, according to River it's because I leave the brake on, but she's _always _made that noise, and I don't see why she should stop now."

"How does a wooden box have _engines_?" asked the dark-haired man scathingly.

"Ah, well, it's not exactly a wooden box, it just _looks_ like one. It's actually a TARDIS. Sort of like a spaceship, except it can also travel in time."

"That's completely ridiculous," said the tall man bluntly.

"Sherlock," admonished the shorter man, "I'm sure it makes sense to him."

"Don't be ridiculous, John, how can a wooden box travel through time?"

"Like I said," interrupted the Doctor, "It's not really a wooden box."

"How does it work?" asked Sherlock.

"Well, it's all very complicated."

"I'm sure I can keep up."

"I don't know..." said the Doctor, "Most people can't."

"I'm not most people."

"Oh, all right then. You'd better come in."

"Are you sure we'll all fit?" asked John, looking worried.

Sherlock and the Doctor ignored him and walked into the TARDIS. Sighing once for dramatic effect, John followed them, then gasped as he saw the interior.

"Oh my god," he said, "It's..."

"Bigger on the inside?" suggested the Doctor, "Would you believe I hadn't noticed?"

"How does it do that?" demanded Sherlock.

"Well, it's all very complicated, but the basic explanation is that it's in another dimension."

"Don't be absurd. What other dimension?"

"I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, but I'm certain it's a different one."

"How can there be other dimensions?"

"Oh, there are all sorts of theories. I wouldn't bother with those. They're just there."

"This is absurd. There can't be other dimensions."

"Actually, yes, there can. I happen to know quite a lot about them."

"And you're the ultimate authority, are you?" asked Sherlock sarcastically, "A mad man in a box?"

"Absolutely," replied the Doctor, grinning widely.

"Um, excuse me," said John, coming to his senses, "But did you say this was a space ship?"

"And a time machine, yes."

"Pay attention, John," sighed Sherlock.

"Er, well, you mean we can actually travel through time in this?"

"Yes, we can," replied the Doctor, skipping up to the control panel, "Where would you like to go?"

A young man wandered though the forest, grumbling to himself.

"Do this, Merlin," he muttered, "Do that. Fetch the firewood, Merlin. As if I've got nothing better to do than cater to his every whim. You know, I've got a great destiny too. But _Arthur_ doesn't appreciate that, oh no. Merlin the idiot, he thinks. Oh, if only he knew..."

Suddenly, he stopped. A strange whirring noise was breaking the calm quiet of the gloomy forest. He peered through the trees, trying to see where the noise was coming from, when he heard voices behind him.

"See, look! We've moved!" exclaimed an extremely enthusiastic one.

"Yes, I can see that," said another, dryer and more sceptical one.

"Look, you said it was a time machine," added another voice, "It doesn't look like we've moved in time to me."

"Nonsense, of course we have!"

Merlin turned around to see a gangly, eccentrically dressed man spring into view, followed by a tall man with dark, curly hair and a short, grumpy-looking man.

"Ah, excellent!" said the first man, "A local! Who're you, then?"

"Um, I'm Merlin. Who are you? And what are you wearing?"

"It's a bow tie. Bow ties are cool."

"What's a bow tie?"

"It's... well, this is a bow tie."

"Right. And who exactly are you?"

"I'm the Doctor. I'm... complicated."

"And who are they?"

"Sherlock Holmes. Consulting detective."

"John Watson. Army doctor."

"Oh, you're a physician?"

"Sort of, I guess."

"Who are you?" asked Sherlock bluntly, "And where are we?"

"I'm Merlin. How do you not know where you are?"

"It's a long story," replied John, "And I don't understand most of it."

"Right... Well, Camelot's just over there..."

"What, _the _Camelot?" asked John incredulously.

"What's so special about Camelot?" asked Sherlock, a confused expression on his face.

"You don't know? Well, I suppose you didn't know the earth goes around the sun..."

"That's not important. What's Camelot?"

"Well, it's legendary. I mean, King Arthur, and all that lot. Wait, what did you say your name was?"

"Um, Merlin."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not."

"_You're_ Merlin? _The_ Merlin?"

"The only one I know, yep."

"I don't suppose King Arthur's hanging around here anywhere, then?"

"He's back at the camp. He sent me to collect firewood."

"What? But you're... _Merlin_. Why are you collecting firewood?"

"Well, I'm the king's servant. It's part of the job description."

"I'm not sure if I believe any of this."

"Why would I be lying?"

"If you don't mind," interrupted the Doctor, "I'd say this was proof we just travelled in time."

"From the look of him, I'd say so," replied Sherlock.

"We haven't travelled in time, we've bloody well left reality!" exclaimed John, "That's Merlin! He doesn't even exist!"

"Hey," objected Merlin, "I do exist, look at me."

"Why shouldn't he exist?" asked the Doctor.

"He's just a myth! It's impossible, I'm sorry, but it's absolutely impossible."

"It obviously isn't," pointed out Sherlock.

"It must be... some sort of trick. I mean, he can't _really_ be some sort of... wizard."

"Yes, actually, I am," said Merlin, starting to sound annoyed, "And I'm most definitely real."

"Really? You're really a wizard?" asked John, sounding sceptical, "Go on, then. Prove it."

"Fine," said Merlin, sounding extremely annoyed, then whispered "_Forbearnan,_"staring intently at his hand. His eyes flashed gold, and a small flame appeared.

"Oh, my god," said John after a few moments, "You actually can do magic."

"Well," said Sherlock, "It _could_ be an illusion..."


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor leant casually against the TARDIS console, letting Sherlock explain it - badly - to Merlin, with some unhelpful comments from John.

"So, you're really from the future?"

"Yes, actually, we are," said Sherlock, "And this is a time machine."

"But how does it all work?"

"Well... er... ah... It's all very..."

"He doesn't know," supplied John, "I don't even think that bloke in the bow tie knows."

"Hey," objected the Doctor, "I have a name, you know."

"'The Doctor' is hardly a name," said Sherlock, "If anything, it's a title."

"He doesn't look like a real doctor to me," huffed John, "He's a complete maniac. I bet he isn't even human."

"Actually, now you mention it, I'm not."

"You look human," said Merlin, trying not to look too confused.

"No, you look Time Lord. Honestly," he sighed, "Why do I always have to go through this?"

"How were we supposed to know?" said John.

"Oh, leave him," said Sherlock, "It's not important."

"_Not important?_" said John, a look of astonishment on his face, "He's just told us he's a bloody alien!"

"I don't see why that matters."

"You wouldn't, would you?" muttered John, "I don't know, your sense of perspective..."

"What about me?" said Merlin, "I mean, I don't want to brag, but I _can_ do magic."

"There must be a trick," replied Sherlock, "I just haven't worked it out yet."

"No trick, honestly. It's real."

"Well," said the Doctor, "I for one believe him. I've seen far stranger things. Did you know that there's an entire planet populated by tiny blue people?"

"I find that hard to believe," scoffed Sherlock.

"Oh, I could show you if you want. It's not the most interesting place I've been to, I have to say."

Eventually, they decided that since Sherlock and John had been to Merlin's time, they might as well show Merlin what their time is like. Sherlock was disappointed to not be going anywhere interesting, but Merlin was excited to see the future. As they stepped out of the TARDIS, Merlin's jaw dropped so far as to practically dislocate it.

"It's so... loud," he said eventually, then, wrinkling his nose, added, "It stinks, too."

"Well, er," said John, "D'you want to have a look around?"

"I guess so. Where are we?"

"London."

"Right. What's that?"

"Um... A city..."

"Where is it?"

"In... England."

"England?"

"Er... roughly where you came from, I guess."

"Oh. Okay, then."

"So," said the Doctor, grinning brightly, "Where shall we start?"

They went everywhere. Merlin was fascinated and confused by almost everything, but not nearly as much as John thought he should be. Sherlock was bored, and unimpressed by the self-professed time traveller. The Doctor was as excitable as always, and showing off at every turn.

"This," he said, opening a locked gate with it, "Is my sonic screwdriver! Cool, isn't it?"

"A _sonic screwdriver_?" scoffed Sherlock, "What does it do, beep?"

"Well, I suppose it could," shrugged the Doctor, "It _does_ do pretty much anything."

"What, anything at all?" asked Merlin.

"Except wood."

"Well, that's a bit rubbish," said John.

"Hey," replied the Doctor, "Don't knock the sonic."

"Why doesn't it _do_ wood?" asked Sherlock, still sounding sceptical.

"I don't really know, to be honest. I never really thought about it."

"Why wouldn't you think of _wood_?" asked Merlin incredulously, "Wood's everywhere."

"Not where I'm from," huffed the Doctor, "We're perfectly fine without wood, thank you very much."

Merlin stared at him as if he'd gone completely mad, which is generally a fair assumption in the Doctor's case, and John tried to look as if he was still following the conversation. Sherlock, as ever, looked bored.

"Are we done with London yet?" he asked, looking irritated, "I _did_ think that a man with a time machine could take us somewhere rather more interesting."

"Aww, but I wanted to look around some more," objected Merlin.

"Actually, Sherlock," said John, "I need to pick up a couple of things from the flat, so..."

"Fine!" said the Doctor, throwing his arms up in the air, "Let's split up, then! You two" - he pointed at Sherlock and John - "go back to your flat and get whatever you're after, and you" - he pointed at Merlin - "come with me. We'll meet back at the TARDIS in, what, an hour? All right, then, off you go!"

Sherlock and John disappeared, sighing in unison.

"Where are we going?" asked Merlin.

"Oh, I don't know," replied the Doctor, looking sulky, "Just... around. Don't wander off."

Unfortunately for the Doctor, and for Merlin himself, he was yet another human who completely failed to follow simple instructions. He soon managed to get separated from the Doctor, and instead of sensibly searching for him, decided to have a look around on his own. By this point he felt fairly confident with London and assumed that he could find his own way around. Wrong.

Before long, he was hopelessly lost in a particularly dodgy area of the city, and being followed by a group of thugs. He nervously walked around a corner, onto a completely unfamiliar street, and realised that he had absolutely no idea where, or even when, he was. Worst of all, the thugs appeared to have vanished. Why worst of all? Because now he had no idea where they were.

Of course, he soon knew exactly where they were. They were all around him, some of them holding knives, and one an unfamiliar object that you or I would recognise as a gun.

"Stay away from me," said Merlin hoarsely, turning quickly, trying to stop them getting behind him

They laughed.

"Oooh, stay away from me," mocked the tallest in a high-pitched voice, "Stay away, I'm dangerous."

The other thugs laughed as if this was the wittiest thing they'd ever heard. Sadly enough, it probably was.

"I'm warning you," said Merlin, glaring at them.

They laughed some more, and while they were distracted, Merlin muttered a spell under his breath. His eyes glowed gold, and four of the thugs flew through the air, crashing into a building, a bus shelter and a car. Quickly, he span around to face the remaining three, who had stopped laughing.

"'Ere," said one of them, "What'd you do?"

"What, me?" replied Merlin, laughing nervously, "Nothing."

"Don' mess with me," warned another in a deep, dangerous voice, "I saw you do it."

"Do what?" asked Merlin innocently.

"Whatever it were that you did."

"What, you mean this?" he replied, and his eyes glowed gold again. He laughed at the shocked expressions on their faces as they crashed into the building behind them, unconscious.

However, he had little time to enjoy his victory, as he heard an unfamiliar sound accompanied by flashing blue lights arrive. A woman with dark curly hair climbed out of the police car, followed by a man with silver hair. Several other people wearing fluorescent jackets clustered around Merlin, one of them pulling out a pair of handcuffs.

"All right, then," said the silver-haired man, "What exactly's going on here?"

"Um," replied Merlin, "Well, er, these men... they attacked me."

"And then a freak whirlwind sent them all flying, leaving you untouched?"

"Well, er, not exactly, but, um, yeah."

"Right, and you think I'm going to believe that?"

"Er... yes? I mean, it was your idea."

"Oh, so you think you're funny, do you?"

"Um, sometimes, yeah," said Merlin, grinning cheekily.

"Well, I don't think you are. I think you should tell me what really happened here."

"Er, basically, um, these men were following me, and then they attacked me, and then I, er, sort of, um, threw them... against the wall."

"And how exactly did you manage that? Magic, was it?"

"Actually, yes. Um. Sorry about that."

"Oh, so it _was_ magic? Very convenient."

"Er."

"So I suppose you're some sort of magician, then?"

"Sort of, yeah, just don't tell anyone. I don't know... I mean, it might not still be... but I really don't want to be killed."

"Oh, very funny. Right, let's start with the easy bit. What's your name?"

"Merlin."

"Your _real_ name. No one's _actually_ called Merlin."

"Um,_ I_ am."

"Fine," said the man, sighing, "We'll call you Merlin, then. Whatever your name actually is, you're under arrest."

"What?"

"You heard me, you're under arrest until we find out what the hell actually happened here."

Merlin was handcuffed and led to a police car, looking confused. As he left, he heard the man talking into a small black box.

"Sherlock?" he said, "It's Lestrade here. We've got a funny case here. You might want a look at it."

_Sherlock?_ thought Merlin as they drove off, _Maybe he can help me..._


	3. Chapter 3

Sherlock sighed, hanging up on Lestrade. Obviously, their quaint little magician friend couldn't keep himself out of trouble for more than a minute, and who would have to rescue him? Not that useless Doctor, certainly. Without stopping to explain to John, he left the flat and jumped into a cab.

Lestrade heaved a sigh of relief as Sherlock entered the room. He had no idea what to make of the strange man he had locked in the cells, and he hoped that the consulting detective would be able to make some sense of it.

"So, a lone man is found surrounded by seven unconscious thugs who he claims attacked him, and says he fought them off with magic? Isn't it obvious what happened?"

"It's not obvious to me," replied Lestrade, used to Sherlock's condescending manner.

Sherlock sighed before continuing.

"Well, it was magic, wasn't it?"

"Are you joking? You're not seriously saying this guy did magic?"

"Actually, I am. Or at least, what appears to have no explanation other than magic. I happen to know this... Merlin."

"And you believe he can do magic?" Lestrade still sounded sceptical.

"I didn't, but I couldn't find the trick, and so it appears it must be magic. I don't mean to brag, but I doubt he could have fooled _me_."

"This is ridiculous."

"I know. Look, can you just release him? We're on a rather tight schedule."

"Let's say I do. It's up to you to make sure I don't get any more of this trouble."

"Oh, I can guarantee you won't."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. We'll just... disappear."

"Magic?"

"Apparently not."

Back at the TARDIS, the Doctor was waiting. He was slightly worried to have lost Merlin, and more than slightly annoyed that John had been late and Sherlock appeared to be missing as well. When the consulting detective finally appeared, warlock in tow, he greeted them exasperatedly.

"Do you _want_ to travel with me or not?" he asked.

"Apparently our friend from the past is more concerned with getting himself into trouble."

The Doctor sighed.

"Rule 1! Don't wander off. And does anyone pay attention?"

"No?" hazarded John.

"Exactly."

"Well, seeing as we're all here," said Sherlock, "Can we _actually_ go somewhere?"

"Of course!" said the Doctor, grinning hugely, "Where?"

"Um, somewhere with aliens?" suggested John.

"Here, then?"

"What?" frowned John, "I'm fairly sure no one here is an alien."

"Except me, of course," the Doctor reminded him.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. You just look... you know, human."

"We have been through this, you know."

"How exactly are you _not_ human?" asked Sherlock, his voice full of scepticism.

"Oh, I'm a completely different species, for a start. Two hearts, and I'm, ooh, at least a thousand years old."

"That's completely ridiculous," scoffed Sherlock.

"And completely true. I haven't always looked like this, either. In fact... this is the eleventh face I've had."

"Wait, what? You mean you change your face?" asked John.

"Yes, when I'm dying, I regenerate. I more or less become a different person."

"Oh, come on. Now you're just being absurd," said Sherlock.

"If you think so. Anyway, where were we?"

"About to see aliens, I think," supplied Merlin, "Are there any that _don't_ look human?"

"Plenty."

"The grass..." said John, his voice trailing off, "The grass is pink."

"Bubblegum pink," corrected the Doctor, grinning like a child.

"It's pink. We... We're walking on pink grass."

"Apparently," said Sherlock, examining a blade of said pink grass.

"And the sky... It's orange."

"Observant as ever, I see," replied Sherlock.

"Where _are _we?" asked Merlin, gazing around in awe.

"The planet of Soome, on the far edge of the Milky Way galaxy. Nearly a hundred thousand light years from the Earth."

"And _when_ are we?" asked Sherlock, staring intently across the pink fields, "How far into the future is it?"

"About... four billion years in your future," replied the Doctor, neglecting to ask how Sherlock knew it was the future.

"How long ago was it colonized by humans?"

"Perhaps a thousand years ago. Maybe-"

"Wait, there are people here?" interrupted John, "Human people? From the future?"

"Well, the people here won't be _pure_ human. You lot have managed to mix your genes with a _lot_ of other races over the years."

"Fascinating," said Sherlock, sounding genuinely interested, "Amazing."

"You're a very resilient race, certainly."

"Um, Doctor?" said Merlin, sounded nervous, "I don't want to worry, but what are those? They don't look very friendly."

"Ah," replied the Doctor, looking over past Merlin, "They aren't. We should probably get out of here... Now."

"How, Doctor?" said John, panic entering his voice.

"Well, in the TARDIS."

"But... it's gone."


	4. Chapter 4

"What _are _those things?" panted John as they ran across the bubblegum-pink fields that suddenly seemed far less inviting.

"They appear to be..." Sherlock glanced over his shoulder, trying to sound as cool and detached as always, "Giant red tigers."

"With purple stripes," added Merlin helpfully.

"And they're really, really giant," said the Doctor, "At least... ooh, would you say six foot tall?"

"At least," gasped John, his breathing exaggerated more through fear than because of the running.

"I wonder if they have a name?" mused Sherlock.

"Why don't you ask them?" asked Merlin sarcastically, "I'm sure they'd love a chat. That must be why they're chasing us, after all. They can't want to _eat_ us, can they?"

"Oh, just call them Soome Tigers if it makes you happy!" said the Doctor, "Or wait until we've actually escaped them and ask someone else!"

Sherlock snorted.

"Soome Tigers?" he said, "Are you being serious?"

"Why not? That's probably what you lot called them."

"No, no, absolutely not."

"Sherlock," huffed John, "Now is not the time."

"So do you think they had anything to do with the TARDIS disappearing?" asked Merlin.

"I have no idea," replied the Doctor, "But I really hope not."

John leant against a wall, panting, as he watched Sherlock barricade the door to the small hut they had managed to find and hide in. Cautiously, he edged across to the window and peered through the (bright yellow) shutters. Three of the strange giant tigers were circling the house, but they didn't appear particularly interested in them. He continued to watch as they sniffed around, then ran off after the rest of the pack.

"They've gone," he said, sighing in relief.

"Are you sure?" replied Sherlock.

"Pretty. We'd better wait, though, just to be sure."

"Good idea. Did you see what happened to the others? Merlin and the Doctor?"

"No, I was concentrating on _staying __alive_."

"Well, we can look for them later."

They stood in silence for a few moments, before sitting side by side against the wall.

"So, they're pretty odd creatures, aren't they?" said John eventually.

"Yes, they are. I think we were wrong in comparing them to tigers. The only real resemblance there is the stripes."

"What do you think they're like, then?"

"The hunting pattern resembles that of a lion, as does the overall build, apart from the size. Their paws are very catlike, which is lucky for us-"

"Why is that lucky for us?" interrupted John, frowning.

"They aren't built for running," explained Sherlock, "They'd have caught us if they were more like a cheetah or a wolf."

"Ah, I see. Go on."

"Yes, well, you see, their faces were more like a wolf's, or a cross between a wolf and a cat. Longer, narrower snouts than you'd expect, and larger ears."

"And you noticed all this while we were fleeing for our lives?"

"Observations that could very well save our lives."

"Fair enough. What else have you deduced about them?"

"They're not too smart, and they seem to rely mainly on main advantages are size and strength, but they aren't too fast. They can probably run for a long time, though, so getting into this... hut... was the best plan available to us at the time."

"Which is why you turned and ran back."

"Exactly. I saw this hut, and realised it was close enough for us to reach before the creatures reached us."

"That's brilliant. Completely brilliant."

"Thank you. The others didn't seem to trust my judgement quite as much as you did, though."

"Do you think they... do you think those things got them?"

"I don't know."

They sat in silence once more, wondering what had happened to their strange companions.

"Where... are... Sherlock... and... John?" panted Merlin as they ran.

"No idea!" gasped the Doctor in reply, "They just... ran off... back towards the... tiger... things."

"Do... you... think... they... got... them?"

"I hope... not, but right... now I'm more... worried about us."

"Me... too."

Suddenly, the Doctor skidded to a halt, grabbing Merlin's arm and stopping him too.

"What is it?" asked Merlin, eyes wide with fear.

"We're surrounded."

"But... I can't see any of them..."

"Exactly. Why would they just vanish like that? Unless... they know they've got us cornered."

"Maybe... they got bored."

"Nope," said the Doctor, shaking his head, then pointing up at the far edge of the dip they had run into. Merlin squinted up for a few moments before he caught sight of it. A glimpse of red fur, like a bloodstain against the pink grass.

"Right. And... they're all around?"

"Probably, yes," said the Doctor, then, smacking himself in the forehead, added "Damn! Sherlock was right!"

"But... he didn't say anything? He just ran off..."

"Yes, but he had the right idea! Oh, these creatures are smart. They've been herding us here, where we're trapped. And now they're just playing with us."

"So, you think the others are safe, then?"

"Probably. We're easier pickings. We ran straight where they wanted us to."

"And... why haven't they killed us yet?"

"Either they're playing with us, or they're worried."

"Why would they be worried?"

"Well, by now, the people on this planet should be used to their attacks. It shouldn't be as easy as it was with us - but it was. And these creatures are clever. They'll think we've got a plan."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Not yet."

"Well, it might be a good idea if you hurried up. I can see some more of them..."

"What now?" said John, breaking the long silence, and looking over at Sherlock.

"Well, I suppose we have to look for the Doctor. He is our only chance of getting home, after all."

"Shall we go, then?"

"We have to, don't we?" said Sherlock, smiling wryly as he stood up, and offered John a hand, which he accepted.

They left the hut cautiously, senses alert for any sign of the strange creatures. Their caution was unnecessary, however, as they found themselves completely alone. As Sherlock searched around for any sign of the Doctor and Merlin, John had a good look at the strange planet. Apart from the pink grass, the ground was almost completely bare, with no trees, and no buildings except the bright green hut they had just emerged from. The rolling hills prevented him from seeing very far from the dip where they stood, but he thought he could see the hilltop where they had landed. The orange sky and reddish sunlight made everything seem slightly sinister.

_Maybe that's why they made the building so __bright_, he thought, _Although the pink grass more than makes up for this strange light._

"They went this way!" called Sherlock, interrupting his thoughts.

"What, Merlin and the Doctor?" replied John, slightly confused.

"What? No, of course not! The creatures!"

"And why, exactly, would we want to follow them?"

"They probably rejoined the rest of the pack."

"And?"

"Which would have gone after the Doctor and Merlin."

"Oh, of course. Why didn't I realise that?"

"Because you don't pay attention."

John took the casual insult without comment, and merely followed the tall detective up the hill after tracks he could barely see.

"Doctor," said Merlin.

"Yes, I know," replied the Doctor.

"They're getting closer," continued Merlin, as if he hadn't said anything.

"Right, yes," said the Doctor, not looking up from the complicated tangle of wires he had pulled out of his sonic screwdriver and was currently fiddling with.

"Whatever clever plan you're working on had better happen _ now_."

"Yes, yes, I know!" the Doctor almost shouted his reply, and continued to tug frustratedly at wires. Even Merlin, who had never heard of electricity, could see he was getting nowhere. Meanwhile, the creatures were getting closer and closer, the circle of about ten of them getting ever smaller. The closer ones had started to growl, their faces contorted into terrifying snarls.

"Doctor," said Merlin urgently, "I really think you need to hurry up."

"I'm trying!" snapped the Doctor, "It's not my fault I have nothing to work with!"

"Don't you have some sort of fancy space-weapon or something?"

"I don't do weapons!"

"Right now, that's not what I want to hear!"

"Well, I- Wait, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"On top of the hill... there's someone... No, wait - there's two people."

"Oh, yes. You know, they sort of look like-"

Merlin never finished his sentence. At that moment, the creatures decided to stop playing - and attacked.


	5. Chapter 5

"Sherlock!" shouted John, anger colouring his voice, "Hurry up!"

"We've still got time," replied Sherlock dismissively.

"The things are attacking them! With claws and teeth and - are you even listening?"

"No. I don't need to. Listening to you won't save them."

"Then do something that _will._"

"I am."

"Quicker, please, Sherlock. They're _dying_."

"All right," he snapped, "I'm ready."

"So, what's the plan?"

"You run over there are distract them-"

"I don't like this plan."

"I'm not finished! You distract them, and then _I _spring my trap."

"Which is?"

"You'll see. Now, go!" he shoved something small into John's hand, "Look, they're_dying._"

John sighed, then sprinted down the hill towards Merlin and the Doctor, yelling and waving his arms. The tiger-creatures looked up at him, surprised, and stopped attacking the scratched and bloodied men. The Doctor stopped trying to sonic them, and stared at John as if he was mad. In the couple of seconds he had, John glanced at his hand, then frowned as he saw what was in it. What good would that do? And why did Sherlock have one of those?

The creatures turned away from John, recovering from their shock, and prepared to attack Merlin and the Doctor again. Before they could, Sherlock appeared, holding a gigantic water pistol and grinning madly. The creatures had no time to react. He sprayed them with water, and they leapt away, hissing wildly. John lifted the small water pistol Sherlock had given him and joined him in shooting at the giant cats, who quickly fled.

"I'm glad that worked," said Sherlock, heaving a sigh of relief.

"That was your plan?" asked John sceptically, "Water pistols?"

"Well, it _did _work," said Merlin, looking relieved and very bloody.

"Yeah, thanks for that, mate," added the Doctor.

"Where did you get the water pistols?" asked John, still not satisfied.

"They were in the house."

"You mean... the people here have _water pistols?_"

"Well, obviously, if they're the best defence against those things."

"You're going to have to explain this to me."

"It's quite simple," sighed Sherlock, secretly pleased, "Those creatures are like cats, yes? But not tigers. So they don't like water. Which means that spraying them with water would scare them off."

"With you so far."

"I merely noticed that the creatures, although similar to tigers, in some respects weren't, and so might dislike water. My search of the house confirmed this."

"When you found the water pistols?"

"Exactly. Of course, they could have been for recreational purposes, but that was a risk I had to take."

"And it worked. It bloody worked."

"That's amazing," said the Doctor, "You're _really_ good."

"Thank you," replied Sherlock, smiling tightly.

"So," said Merlin, "What now?"

"We find civilisation," replied Sherlock.

"And my TARDIS," added the Doctor.

They found a small town a couple of miles away from where they had been attacked. Large water cannons ringed the outskirts; a defence against the creatures.

"They're very humane here," commented John, "Most people would just kill the damn things."

"Yes," replied Sherlock distractedly, scanning the streets, "That is odd."

"Oh, I think it's great," said the Doctor, "The human race - moving on. You lot could really be something great."

"Aren't we good enough already?" asked Merlin.

"Of course you are! Still, you could stand to be a bit more like this lot."

"I thought you said they were human..." said John, sounding uncertain.

"Well, they are, mostly. They still look the same. But they're not exactly the same as you lot. Evolution and all that."

"I see," said Sherlock, looking back at them, "And where are they?"

"What do you mean?" asked John.

"This village. It's deserted."

"But... what?" said Merlin.

"Recently, too. I'd say within the last hour. And that hut had only been empty for a day or two."

"Do you think those creatures got them?" asked John.

"Did you see their defences? One of those things isn't coming near here, and if they had, they'd have got them sooner. And it wouldn't be this empty. There'd be blood, bodies - survivors."

"Then - the TARDIS!" cried the Doctor, "Oh, this is it!"

"Exactly. Whatever got them is what got the TARDIS."

"That still doesn't help us," said John, "We don't know where they are, or what took them."

"No, but we're one step closer."

"Well, come on then. All- No, wait. Wrong word. Come along... humans!"

The four time travellers sat in the middle of the abandoned village, contemplating their situation.

"I need to check something," said the Doctor suddenly, standing up and walking off.

"Fine," said Sherlock, staring intently at the ground and not paying attention to the Doctor.

"Where are you going?" asked Merlin, looking up.

"I'm not sure yet."

"Well, don't just disappear," said John.

The Doctor pulled a face, and walked off along the street, peering into houses and along alleys.

"Got any ideas?" asked John after a few moments.

Sherlock was silent for a moment, before replying:

"No, actually."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"Really? Why not?"

"Well, this is a completely alien situation. Why should you know all about it?"

"You're actually pleased," said Sherlock, smiling slightly, "You're glad I don't know everything."

"No, it's just... nice to know you're human."

"Oh, thanks!" shouted the Doctor from up the street, "Nice to know us _non-humans_are appreciated!"

"I didn't mean it like that," huffed John, "I meant, at least Sherlock doesn't know about everything _everywhere_."

"I don't either, if it helps," replied the Doctor, walking back over to them, "But I might know where these people - and my TARDIS - went."

"What, how?" asked Sherlock, suddenly interested.

"I found this," said the Doctor, holding up a metal box covered in curling wires.

"What is it?" asked Merlin.

"It's a teleport bomb. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"What's a teleport bomb?" asked John.

"O_bviously_ it teleports things suddenly after a certain time period has elapsed," explained Sherlock, sounding exasperated.

"Well, er, that's more or less right," said the Doctor, sounding put off, "But this one's especially clever! It's been calibrated to only teleport living things within its blast radius. Now, that is cool!"

"How does that help us?" said Merlin, "If it only takes living things, it can't have taken the TARDIS."

"Yes, it can! The TARDIS _is_ alive_._"

"Why didn't it take the grass?" asked Sherlock, "If it took the TARDIS, why didn't it take the grass?"

"Oh, of course!" replied the Doctor excitedly, "It only takes beings with a higher consciousness, like my TARDIS, and these people. That's amazing!"

"What about us?" asked John slowly, not quite keeping up.

"We must have been outside of the teleport beam."

"Obviously, it was a different teleport," said Sherlock, "The TARDIS was taken before these people."

"Then perhaps whatever took it chose the TARDIS specifically?" suggested Merlin, "Maybe they wanted to strand us."

They all paused for a moment, considering the implications of this.

"Well, we'll just have to find out," said the Doctor finally, pulling out his sonic and starting to fiddle with the teleport bomb, "I'll just get this thing working - ah, here we are."

He pressed a button and they all vanished.

"What just happened?" asked John, waking up suddenly with a splitting headache.

"Shh," said the Doctor, waving a hand at him, "Keep absolutely silent."

John looked around the dingy metal room with wire-covered walls, and spotted Merlin, unconscious, and Sherlock, examining what was probably a door.

"Where are we?" he whispered.

"Spaceship. Not sure what sort yet," replied the Doctor, "Might be new. Well, new to me."

"Ow, my head," groaned Merlin, waking up, "What happened?"

"That's the teleport," whispered the Doctor, "Scrambles your head a bit. You'll be fine in a minute."

"Where are we?" asked Merlin.

"We're-" began the Doctor, stopping suddenly at the sound of footsteps ringing outside, "Quiet!"

They sat in silence, trying to breath noiselessly, waiting. The footsteps drew closer and closer. They had to be just outside the door - and then they were going, going, gone.

"That was close," said the Doctor, sighing with relief.

He spoke too soon. A door swung open and they were pulled away into darkness. The last thing they saw before falling unconscious was a shadowy face, whispering the Doctor's name, and smiling malevolently.


	6. Chapter 6

"Sherlock," hissed John, "Doctor. Merlin. Anyone. Is anyone there?"

He peered into the almost complete darkness of his cell, trying desperately to see anything at all.

"John?" Sherlock's voice came from the darkness.

"Yes," replied John quietly, "Over here."

Sherlock felt his way across the room.

"Is that you?" he asked.

"Yes," replied John, "But if I were you I'd move my hand."

"Oh. Here?"

"That's my face."

"Right. Any sign of the others?"

There was a moan from somewhere in the darkness.

"Hello?" said Merlin, "Anyone there?"

"Just us," replied John, "I think."

"We could really do with some light in here," commented Sherlock.

"Oh, right," said Merlin, then whispered a spell, "Is that any better?"

A ball of light floated in the air, softly lighting the room. They could make out each other and the vague shape of the cell, but not much more than that. Merlin moved the light around the room, checking each corner for the Doctor, and searching for a way out.

"I think I've found the door," he whispered eventually.

Sherlock and John hurried over to look.

"We'll never get through it," sighed Sherlock, disappointed, "You can barely see the door, let alone open it."

"Where do you think the Doctor is?" asked John suddenly, "And why isn't he in here with us?"

"They obviously knew who he was," replied Merlin, "Maybe he's a friend. Or an enemy."

"Somehow, I think an enemy might be more likely," said Sherlock sarcastically.

"Oh, it's you lot, is it?" said the Doctor, blinking at the sudden light as the hood over his head was removed, "Nice slaves you've got yourselves. Very menacing."

"Silence, prisoner," replied the Dalek, "We have captured the TARDIS. Your companions are imprisoned. You cannot escape."

"Give me time and a fez, and I can do anything. Although I never seem to get much time."

"Silence! You will be silent!"

"Sorry, haven't you met me? If there's one thing I'm not, it's silent."

"Silence! Silence! Silence!" chanted the Daleks.

The Doctor looked like he was about to continue, but thought better of it and sat in silence for a few moments.

"So, what do you want this time?" he asked eventually.

"Your TARDIS."

"Well, you've got it, haven't you?"

"We do not have the key."

"And you think I'm just going to hand it over?"

"Eventually."

"What about those people? From down there? What's happened to them?"

"They are part of the experiment."

"What _experiment_?"

"The experiment."

"Oh, very helpful. You're an informative lot, aren't you?"

The Daleks didn't reply.

"What about these slaves, then? Are they part of your experiment?"

"No. They are merely servants of the Daleks."

"I haven't seen them before."

"They were engineered to serve us."

"A slave race. Of course."

"Yes. Who are your companions?"

"Oh, just friends. People I've met. Just brought them along for the ride, really."

"Are they important?"

"Of course they're _important_. They're_ all _important."

"And the people of this planet? Are they important to you?"

"Yes. You're not _experimenting _on anyone."

"If you give us the TARDIS key lives will be saved."

"So this is what your plan is. You make up an _experiment _and if I don't hand over my TARDIS you'll use it to kill thousands of people."

"Give us the key."

"But if I give you my TARDIS, billions will die. Whole worlds."

"If you do not give us the key we will take it by force."

"Oh, of course you will. Little old me, tied to a chair, how could I resist the might of the Daleks? Unless, of course, I managed to stall you for long enough."

"Long enough to do what?"

"This."

He leapt out of the chair, jumping straight at the Dalek in front of him with enough force to push it open. Pulling out his sonic, he fled the room while the others were still panicking and sprinted along the corridor, searching for the cells.

"Doctor!" yelled Merlin, beating against the door.

"Someone!" added John, "Help us!"

"It's no use," said Sherlock, exasperated, "He'll be under guard. Look at how tight_our _security is, and we've not even been separated. No one on this ship is going to help us."

"Wrong," replied John, grinning, "Listen."

They sat in silence for a moment, then they heard the noise of the Doctor's sonic screwdriver outside the door.

"Hello, you lot," said the Doctor, opening the door, "Did you miss me?"

"And where have you been?" asked Merlin, letting the light go out.

"I've had a nice chat with our hosts," replied the Doctor, "It's been very interesting."

"Who, exactly, are our hosts?" said Sherlock.

"The Daleks. The most evil race in the universe. My sworn enemy."

"And not someone we'd want to be captured by?" finished Sherlock, looking unsurprised.

"Not exactly, no."

"What about the TARDIS?" asked Merlin.

"It'll be locked up somewhere," replied the Doctor, pulling a face.

"Somewhere we can't get at it," added Sherlock, "The safest place on the ship... And probably this way." He pointed along the corridor.

"And why would it be there?" asked John.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"It's not even obvious to me," said the Doctor, "And I don't want to brag, but that is saying something."

"Well, obviously the middle of the ship would be the most secure place, and the TARDIS is the most important thing they have. We're obviously in the bottom of the ship, towards the edge - look, over there. That must be the outer wall. The security is heaviest that way, and, if you listen carefully, you can hear most of the Daleks congregated over there."

"Oh. Obvious," replied the Doctor, sounding slightly confused, "Why didn't I see that?"

"Don't worry," said John, "He makes everyone feel like that."

They reached the vault where the TARDIS was being kept with minimal trouble. A couple of Daleks almost caught them, but they managed to sneak past unseen. They could see the heavily guarded door to the room that had to hold the TARDIS; the only problem was getting through it.

"So, anyone got a plan?" asked Merlin.

Sherlock and the Doctor ignored him, whispering to each other.

"I bet those two have," replied John, nodding in their direction, "They're as bad as each other."

"All right," said the Doctor, turning away from Sherlock, "We have a plan."

"Good. What is it?" asked John.

"You're not going to like it," replied Sherlock, smiling slightly.

They told him. He didn't like it.

"Why can't _you _do it? Or him? Or the Doctor?"

"Because you can't do what _we _have to do."

"Fine," grumbled John, "But I'm filing a complaint. Officially."

John crept towards the Dalek guards, his heart pounding. _Distract them,_ he thought, _How do you distract a Dalek? _He glanced along the corridor, and saw one of their slaves coming towards him. With their long hooded robes, they could almost pass for short humans. That gave him an idea. Leaning out of his alcove, he waved at the one down the corridor.

"Oi, you! Yeah, you! Ugly!"

The creature did an almost comic double take, then ran down the corridor towards him. When it was close enough, he leapt out and knocked it over, then dealt it a precise blow to the head, knocking it out. He quickly pulled off its robe, pulling a face at its hideous body, and struggled into it. Luckily, it was only slightly too small and he just about managed to squeeze into it. Pulling it straight, he walked confidently towards the four Dalek guards.

"Prisoner escape," he said, in his best impression of the twisted accents the Dalek slaves spoke in.

"This does not concern us," replied a Dalek.

"Information indicates prisoner will seek out TARDIS. TARDIS secure?"

"Yes."

"Wrong."

John was moving before the Dalek had time to reply. Pulling out his gun, he shot the nearest Dalek in the eye several times, the last bullet breaking through its shield and blinding it. The other Daleks were just beginning to react when Merlin appeared, eyes glowing gold, and sent them flying. Sherlock and the Doctor emerged from the vault just as a group of the Dalek slaves appeared around the corner. Pausing only to lock the door, they fled.

"We've lost them," panted John, pulling his head back into the tiny cupboard they had managed to cram themselves into, "So, did you find the TARDIS?"

"No," replied the Doctor, "It was a decoy."

"As I thought it would be," added Sherlock, "These Daleks aren't stupid. They were hardly going to keep it somewhere so obvious."

"Where is it, then?" asked Merlin.

"Down on the planet, of course. It never left. This whole thing was a ploy to capture the Doctor."

"Then why didn't they just teleport him up in the first place?"

"Because they couldn't," replied the Doctor, "They had to get me away from the TARDIS first. Their teleports wouldn't work anywhere near it - let alone _on _it. I can't believe I fell for that!"

"So what did they do to the TARDIS?" asked John.

"They just put a basic cloaking field on it. Stopped us from noticing it was there."

"What now, then?" asked Merlin.

"Escape," replied the Doctor, his eyes twinkling madly, "And revenge."

"Revenge for what?"

The Doctor didn't reply, but in that moment, every single one of his thousand or more years was etched on his face, and they spoke of one thing: pain.


	7. Chapter 7

"Doctor," said John, "Doctor, we need to get out of here."

"He's right," added Merlin, "We can't stay here."

"Well, that's just _brilliant, _isn't it? We _have _to escape, and we _can't _escape."

"Wrong, there are several options for our escape," said Sherlock, "You just haven't thought of them."

"Oh, silly me. Of _course _we can escape, but what good would that do?"

"It would save our lives," said John, trying to sound reasonable.

"Yes, but the Daleks! The Daleks would still be here!"

"So what?" shrugged Merlin, "We can't do much about them from here."

"Oh, I could, but why bother? They'd just come back... They always come back."

"Then we can escape," said John.

"No, you don't understand! I can't just _let _the Daleks get away with it! I can't. And what about all the people? I have to save _them_."

"What if you can't?" asked Sherlock coldly.

"I have to _try_. I _always _have to try."

"Why?" Sherlock said in a glacial tone.

"I'd never be able to live with myself if I didn't."

"How exactly do you plan to save them?"

"I DON'T KNOW."

"That's very helpful. Then I suggest we concentrate on saving ourselves for the moment. After all, you'll be far more helpful to these people with your TARDIS and your life intact."

The Doctor didn't reply, merely glared at Sherlock in silence.

"Er, whatever you're going to do," said John, "You should probably do it quickly."

"Right," replied Sherlock, "Let's get out of here."

"What is it?" asked Merlin.

"The Daleks," said John, "They've found us."

"I have a plan," said the Doctor suddenly, "I don't know if it'll work, but you have to trust me."

"Okay," John replied with the immediate trust he had shown Sherlock, "What is it?"

"Merlin? Sherlock? Do you trust me?"

"I - er - yes," said Merlin.

"It depends," said Sherlock, "What's the plan?"

The Doctor explained it.

"Then yes," said Sherlock, "It's risky, but I think we can pull it off."

"Good," grinned the Doctor, "Then let's go. GERONIMO!"

"This is completely ridiculous," said John, for the fifteenth time, "It's never going to work."

"I know," sighed Merlin, "You've said. But we've got to trust them, haven't we? They're our only chance of getting out of here."

"Then why aren't they trying to get us out of here?"

"Because they're turnipheads."

"Turnipheads? Is that a thing?"

"Yes."

"Fair enough," replied John, shrugging.

"Will you two stop chatting and concentrate?" said the Doctor, his voice coming from the ridiculous glasses John was sporting.

"Sorry, Doctor," said Merlin apologetically, "What now, then?"

"Just around the corner here. You're nearly there."

"What, here?" asked John, walking around the corner then stopping in his tracks.

"My God," he said after a moment, "There are thousands of them."

"Ah," said the Doctor, "This could be a problem."

"Will the plan still work?" asked Merlin.

"... Yes. Probably. With some slight adjustments."

"Where's Sherlock?" asked John.

"Getting... ready."

"Are you sure he'll be safe?"

"Fairly. He knows what he's doing."

"Are you sure _we'll _be safe?" said Merlin.

"Oh, yes, definitely, 100 per cent."

"Doctor," said John, "We know what we're doing."

"Good, then, you'll be fine!"

John didn't reply, simply raised his eyebrows at Merlin, who giggled.

"Right, then!" said the Doctor, "It's time. Is everybody ready?"

"Yes," said John in his military voice.

"Yes," said Merlin, trying not to giggle.

"Yes," said Sherlock's voice, crackling slightly.

"Okay, John, Merlin - you know what to do."

John nodded tersely, then, grabbing Merlin, leapt into the middle of the Daleks below.

"Hey!" he yelled, "You - big - robot things! This way!"

"Intruder alert, intruder alert," droned the nearest Daleks.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!"

John and Merlin weaved through the Daleks, dodging the rays.

"Stop!" said a Dalek, obviously the leader, "Cease extermination! These are the escaped prisoners! Capture them!"

John heaved a sigh of relief as the Daleks stopped trying to exterminate them, and ran off, just fast enough that the Daleks couldn't catch him. Merlin was heading in the opposite direction, leading more Daleks away. John glanced backwards, checking he was all right, and then cursed as he saw that five Daleks had remained by the teleport controls. _Damn, _he thought, _Well, Sherlock will just have to deal with them_.

"Sherlock," he panted, "Can you hear me?"

"Yes," said Sherlock's voice, barely audible amongst the crackling.

"Five... Daleks stayed... Behind."

"Fine."

"Don't... get yourself... killed."

"Don't worry about me. I know what I'm-"

"Where's Merlin?" interrupted the Doctor.

"He... went the other... way."

"You split up?"

"We... had to... There were too... many Daleks."

The Doctor didn't bother to reply, which was just as well for John, because at that moment the Daleks caught up with him.

"Surrender! Surrender!"

"Yes, all right," he said, stopping and raising his hands, "I surrender."

"Come with us."

"So," whispered Merlin, "Do you think he got in?"

"I don't know," replied John, edging closer whilst trying to remain unnoticed by the Daleks, "I guess we'll find out soon enough, though."

"True. Do you think-"

"Silence, prisoners," said the chief Dalek.

They were gathered once more in the main hall, just outside the teleport room where Sherlock was hopefully carrying out his part of the plan, surrounded by Daleks.

"Where are the others?" asked a senior Dalek.

"Where is the Doctor?" asked the chief.

"We don't know!" replied John, sounding scared, "Honestly, we were just looking for them!"

It was true; they didn't know where Sherlock and the Doctor were, and with the glasses crushed beneath a Dalek, they had no way of finding out.

"Do not lie or you will be exterminated."

"He's not lying!" shouted Merlin, "We don't know!"

"Then you are of no further use to us. Exterminate them."

Before the Daleks could obey the order, one of their slaves sprinted in, yelling hoarsely.

"The prisoners! They've escaped!"

"We have recaptured them," said a Dalek.

"Not those prisoners! The people - from the planet - all of them - they're gone!"

"What do you mean?" asked the chief Dalek.

"All of the people we took from the planet, they've vanished!"

Sherlock knew he had to move quickly. John and Merlin's distraction would only last a couple of minutes - and some Daleks had remained behind. Attempting to kill them would be worse than useless. Perhaps if he pulled John's trick - but no, he was too tall to pass as one of their slaves. He took another look at the room below, and began to formulate a plan. If he went that way, then over there, paused for a moment, went this way, that way, this way - he would make it to the teleport room. The last of the Daleks pursuing Merlin left the room. It was now or never. Heart racing, he sprinted across the room, skipping from hiding place to hiding place with perfect timing and reaching the room just as the first of the Daleks leading John in arrived. He noted the glasses missing from John's face and realised he wouldn't be able to contact him as he slipped inside.

Two of the Dalek slaves guarded the console. He dispatched them quickly and scientifically, then started recalibrating the teleport. He glanced up at the screens; Merlin and John would soon be exterminated if he didn't act quickly. With no time to check his calculations, he pressed the button, hoping he'd done it right. The Doctor had explained everything except the strange layout of the console, and there was no time to learn more about it. He watched the screens for another minute, sighing with relief when he saw the messenger run in and save John and Merlin from certain death, before searching for a hiding place. There wasn't one. He was trapped; a sitting duck.

The Doctor watched the scene from above, waiting for his moment. Apart from a few minor hitches, the plan had gone perfectly - so far. Next, however, was the difficult part. The part only Sherlock knew about. The part Merlin and John _really_wouldn't like. To be honest, the part the Doctor didn't like.

It was the only way.

But was it the right way?


	8. Chapter 8

"Hello there, Daleks," said the Doctor, stepping into their midst.

"Doctor! No!" cried John, "What are you doing?"

"Continuing the plan."

"But... I thought..."

"They obviously didn't tell us everything," said Merlin, "What, didn't think you could trust us?"

"Of course not. It's not a matter of trust."

"Then why not tell us?" asked John confrontationally.

"Well, you know how you didn't like the last bit? You _really _won't like this bit."

"Why are you here?" asked a Dalek, "What have you done with our prisoners?"

"Returned them to Soome. You had no _right_ to take them."

"We have every right."

"You don't. And I'm here to stop you. Fly away now, leave this planet, leave everyone else alone, and I'll let you live."

"You cannot kill us. We are the Daleks."

"I can, and I will. If I blow up this ship now, you'll all be dead. No more Daleks."

"You would also die."

"A risk I'm willing to take."

"And your friends? You would kill them for revenge?"

The Doctor hesitated.

"You would not. They are your weakness. You will not let your friends die."

"I don't have to," he said, grinning widely, then yelled "Sherlock! Now!"

Nothing happened.

"Sherlock!" he shouted, "Now would be a really great time!"

Still nothing. And then Sherlock was dragged out of the control room by two of the Dalek slaves.

"Sorry," he said, "I appear to be a little caught up."

Sherlock had just managed to prepare the teleport when they caught him. The two slaves appeared so suddenly he barely had time to react. He nearly managed to activate it before they dragged him away. Just one more switch needed pressing - and then he was outside. He had failed.

He made an uncharacteristic joke as he twisted slightly, preparing to escape. Just a little to the right, and - there! He broke free for a moment. Long enough to sprint into the control room and flick the switch. He grinned at the slaves' shocked faces as he disappeared.

Outside, the Doctor half-wished the Daleks had faces so he could enjoy their surprise properly when John and Merlin vanished into thin air.

"Sorry, what were you saying? That I wouldn't risk my friends? I don't think that's a problem any more."

"You would still die."

"Casualty of war," he said, his expression flinty, "It's worth it. To see you die."

"We will return. We always return."

"No. Not this time. I won't let you."

"You cannot stop us."

"Watch me."

He pulled a small device out of his pocket. A little remote control.

"Goodbye, Daleks."

He pressed the button. Around the ship, small charges exploded, setting off a chain reaction. The whole ship was gone in under a minute. Dalek and slave and spaceship mixed together in the debris that rained down on Soome and flew off through space. The Doctor grinned as the explosion reached him.

Down on the planet, Sherlock was waiting for John and Merlin to wake up. He looked remarkably peaceful as he watched the ship explode. So far, everything was more or less going to plan.

"Ugh," said John, rubbing his eyes, "I _hate _teleports."

"Ah, good. You're awake."

"What's happened?"

"The Doctor has blown up the ship. The plan is going well."

"Did he escape?"

"Not yet."

"Then... you mean... the Doctor's dead?" asked Merlin, opening his eyes.

"Not if the plan works."

"But how can we save him now? He already blew up the ship!" said John.

"Which is why it's good we happen to have a time machine," replied Sherlock, dramatically turning off the cloaking device and revealing the TARDIS.

"Oh, fantastic! That's actually brilliant," said John.

"Well, I can't take all the credit. The Doctor did help a bit, after all."

"So we can save him?" asked Merlin.

"Yes, we can. Shall we?"

"There's one problem," said John as they walked into the TARDIS, "Can you fly this thing?"

"I expect I can. The Doctor showed me a little on our journey."

"Oh. So, we might not save him, then?" said Merlin.

"Have a little faith," Sherlock grinned, flicking a lever and twiddling the taps, "I'm sure he'll be fine."

After a false start, taking them to Bristol in the 1800s, they did indeed manage to land next to the Doctor just after he pressed the button.

"Doctor!" yelled John, leaning out of the door, "Hurry up!"

"You're late," replied the Doctor, "I expected you five seconds ago."

"The coordinates were off!" shouted Sherlock, "They took us to Bristol!"

"Sorry about that. Still, you got here, didn't you?" he said, pushing the door shut behind him.

"Yes," said a white-faced Merlin.

"I think I'd like to go home now," said John.

"Me, too," added Merlin, "Home would really be quite good."

"Very well," said the Doctor, "Off we go, then."

They dropped Merlin off in Camelot first, a few days after he had left. Arthur was pleased to see him, and assumed he'd spent the time in the tavern. Merlin was less pleased by the renewal of his duties, but glad to be home.

Then it was off to Baker Street, and to bring John and Sherlock back home.

"Thank you," said John, shaking the Doctor's hand, "It was... Well, it was exciting."

"You are most welcome," the Doctor smiled, waving at him as he walked into 221B.

"And you, Sherlock?" he said, "Is this goodbye?"

"For now," replied the consulting detective.

"Just shout if you need me."

"I will."


End file.
